Love, Daisies, and Decisions
by Sweet12996
Summary: Takes place right after Love, Daisies and Troubadours. Lorelai has to decide between and englis teacher, or her angelic coffee supplier.
1. My English Teacher?

iO.k. people this is my first fan fiction. So please Review, be honestly harsh, but if you're a Max fan don't hate me if Lorelai ends up with Luke… and the same goes for all you Java Junkies out there. Review and let me know if you think this thing is worth continuing. It takes place right after Love, Daisies and Troubadours. /i   
  
  
"Oh my God! You won't believe what happened to me!!" Both Lorelai's screamed happily.   
  
Lorelai still couldn't believe what was happening to her. Her head was in a funny place and her thoughts were so jumbled, but mainly they consisted of two questions: Will Rory freak out, and oh my God what will my parents think? The thought of her parents brought her heart rate down a few beats per second. Trust them to ruin one of the best days in her life. Oh well, no time to think about now. Right now the older Gilmore was on a rush only experienced by triple-caff coffee. Oh my God, thought Lorelai, I turned down Luke's coffee!   
  
"Rory, honey, you go first, you might need to sit down for my news, I might even knock you out, or give you a few tranquilizers first." Lorelai said, wild with emotion, but trying so hard to suppress it.  
  
"O.k. mom, well… I don't know how you'll react to this," started Rory.  
  
"For the love of God spit it out!!!" Screamed her mother, "c'mon kid I'm not a mind reader, if it made you happy I'm sure it will make me happy too!"  
  
"O.k., well you know how you said you had a fear of commitment, and didn't want me too…..well…"  
  
"MAX PROPOSED TO ME!!!!" Screamed Lorelai, unable to keep the news inside her a moment longer.  
  
"Um o.k., excuse me…. I'm sorry; I think I must be hallucinating…. I heard you say that my English teacher proposed to you." Said Rory hesitantly.  
  
"Oh damn, I said that out loud."   
  
That was the only thing Lorelai could think of to say. When she saw the crushed, confused look on her daughters face, all of the excitement just flew right out of her. Damn, she thought quietly, now I could definitely use some coffee.  
  
"Rory, hunny. Max did propose to me, and I don't know what to say. I haven't felt like this for a long, long time…and I really want to say yes. But if it's not ok with you, then the whole thing is off. I'll say no, because he'd be in our family, so it has to be a group decision…." The Inn Keeper, formerly known as Lorelai, heard her voice trail quietly off. And then she just looked at Rory excpectantly.  
  
"Mom…..this is big. I mean, a teacher, not just any teacher… a CHILTON teacher, and not just any CHILTON teacher, but MY Chilton English teacher…"   
  
"Ok, Rory, baby, maybe you need to think a little while about this before you decide.." Lorelai said quietly, in what she hoped was a soothing tone.  
  
But Rory just continued talking like her mom wasn't even there. "And all Paris and the rest of the Chilton squad are gunna totally have a hay-day with this. And Tristan, oh crap, what about Tristan…" Rory's voice was getting higher and higher and hr mother could tell that she was headed for a full blown panic attack.  
  
"Rory, c'mon, lets go home, we can get in our jamies and just sit and talk for the whole night. You need to tell me your news too.."  
  
"It's not nearly as important as this mom. I mean, how did this happen?  
  
"Well when I went on a date with Max last night, Luke cam over, and we ended up having a fight.  
  
"Who did you fight with? Luke or Max?"  
  
"Oh, sorry, Max, and one thing happened to lead to another.. you know a chaiin reaction… oh gosh I loved that movie….! Oh sorry," said Lorelai when she saw her daughters annoyed look. "o.k., where was I, oh yeah, the chain reaction. Well any way he said he though we should get married as a sulotion. And I don't think marriage is a band-aid, I think it should be something special with 1,000 yellow daisies, and a horse, and…."  
  
"A horse, mom?"  
  
"Yes horses are very romantic animals! Let me finish. So Max, he apologized about that, and we decided to forget about it and start the nghit over. But then this moring… oh man…"  
  
"WHAT? C'mon kid, I'm not a mind reader."  
  
Lorelai smiled to have her words repeated to her, and then continued the story. "Well I walked into the hotel only to see Michele arguing with some flower guy!"  
  
"So, Michele argues with everyone. He's French."  
  
"Thank you captain obvious! Well, anyways, it turn out that when I walked into the hotel there were exactly 1,000 yellow daisies waitng for me! I was so shocked I called Max. He said that he knew he proposed the wrong way but he loved me and wanted to marry me. He told me not to answer right away just to think about it, and then we hung up." Finished Lorelai triumphantly. "So, Ror, what do you think?"   
  
"No mom.. I just… I can't…" broke in the younger Gilmore. "I've gotta be alone, to think about this. I'm sorry, it's just. Oh my God."  
  
"I understand hunny, just remember, you still have to tell me your news too." Said a fully deflated Lorelai, so deflated that they could nail her down and use her as a Lorelai Gilmore tent, she thought.   
  
"I'm fine, I'll tell you my news. I'm just gunna walk, please..its ok." She added when she saw her mothers worried face. "I'll be home in and hour or two.   
  
"O.k. Rory, I'll be home waiting…" Said Lorelai to her daughters swiftly retreating back. "Don't hurry, I'll just be there….waiting for you…..to come back…..So you'll know where to find me!" She yelled.  
  
"Oh God Lorelai," she said quietly to herself. "What have you gotten yourself into this time?"  



	2. Rachel Was Right

Rory Gilmore was in shock. There was nothing else to explain her state of mind. Wow, wow, wow those words kept repeating themselves in her head. I can't believe this…. Lorelai Medina….. no, that doesn't sound right. And mom can't marry the guy if the name doesn't sound right. So it's settled I won't approve of the marriage. Good. Rory was satisfied with her thought process.  
  
"Rory, get a grip!" she said to herself  
  
O.k. It's not like mom can't marry him just because of his last name. I mean c'mon he's my teacher!! Isn't that a good reason. Then she started to get angry. I mean didn't mom think about how this was going to affect me before this, she is so selfish, thought Rory.   
  
"O.k. no she isn't, Rory. It's not her fault, it's his fault!!!" The younger Gilmore yelled at herself.  
  
At exactly that time the 2nd Lorelai was unlucky enough to have Taylor walk by.  
  
"Oh, um Taylor…hi…" Said Rory nervously… her face turning a faint tint of red at being caught talking to herself.  
  
"Rory." Taylor began in his normal severe voice. "How many times do I have to tell you young people not to do drugs!" Rory could tell Taylor was getting ready for a famous speech.  
  
"But Taylor, that's ridicules, I'm not on drugs."   
  
"Oh really, well the only people I know that talk to themselves are shoplifters or druggys." Taylor squinted at her suspiciously, as if trying to find out how Rory could hide stolen merchandise in her Chilton uniform. "Either that or shoplifters who steal drugs."  
  
"Taylor… you don't know that. Crazy people talk to themselves, maybe I'm just temporarily insane." Not to far from the truth, thought Rory happily. I mean after all my mom was just proposed to by my TEACHER!!!  
  
"Yes Rory, do you know what else crazy people do? They shoplift! And then do you know what they plead?"  
  
"Um, guilty?"  
  
"No Rory, they please temporary insanity!" Said the grocery store owner. Obviously at the high part of his speech.  
  
"Yes, but sometime murderers also plead temporary insanity when a nosy store owner is blocking the way of a Gilmore and a coffee shop." Said a rough male voice.  
  
Rory turned around happily, "Luke, thank God!"  
  
"Um, Luke… no need to be temperamental I was just telling Rory the effects of drugs on the brain. You can be my living example." When Taylor saw the look Luke gave him his voice got squeaky. "Well, now, I'll just be going... bye!"  
  
With that Taylor scurried off into the night leaving Rory and the coffee angel alone together.   
  
"Oh Luke, my hero!" Said Rory in a high falsetto voice.  
  
"Yea, yea, get inside the shop Rory, you look terrible." Was Luke's only reply.  
  
"Well thank you Luke, I feel terrible, but of course you could have lied and said I looked good, or even half-good in hopes that that would make me feel better!" Said Rory teasingly.  
  
Luke just stood there. She did look terrible, quite in contrast with her mother who looked so bouncing with energy and hyper with happiness. Rory actually did look fully energized, and he could tell that her brain was in full overtime trying to figure out something.   
  
"Here." Said Luke handing Rory a cup of coffee. "Coffee for your thoughts?"  
  
"No, no," was Rory's reply, quite to the shock of Luke. "I don't think I can take coffee at just this moment…. Large whole in the ceiling… it wouldn't be good."   
  
"Oh my God!" Exclaimed Luke. "I think hell just froze over!"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Well when both of the Gilmore girls refuse coffee at the same night it means that I'm going to have to close down my store! ¾ of my money comes from you and your mother."  
  
Luke's voice only hinted at the surprise he was feeling. Whatever made Lorelai so happy, she obviously told her daughter. And it seemed Rory was only made more pensive than usual about it.   
  
Luke decided a different approach to getting to Rory's mind. "So, Rory, how was your day?"  
  
Rory inwardly smiled. Luke was such a great guy trying to figure out what was wrong. She decided to toy with him just a little bit. "Well," she began. "Dean and I are back together…"  
  
"What?!?" Exclaimed Luke. "Your back together with that punk kid. Rory I swear I thought you had more brains than that. It's a good thing you turned down my coffee, because if you didn't, I'd be dumping it down the drain because of you! If that kid hurts you one more time, just tell me, I'll make sure his life in Stars Hallow is complete hell."  
  
"Thanks for your concern Luke, but it's o.k. Really, we got together again and I've never been happier."  
  
"Well…if your happy, then I guess he can buy food here again," said Luke grudgingly.   
  
"Thank you Luke!"   
  
"But I'll only serve him if he sits in the shadows, only comes between the hours of 1 and 2 and if…"  
  
"Luke…"  
  
"It's o.k., I'm just kidding." Said Luke.  
  
The Café owner was a little surprised. Well, at least Rory's happy, even if she is back together with…. Shudder…Dean, thought Luke. Yet, she doesn't look happy, there's something else going on in her mind. Luke walked behind his counter and saw the yellow daisy sitting there. He absent-mindedly, picked it up and started twirling it in his fingers.  
  
"Oh my gosh, the yellow daisy? You know don't you. I can't believe she told you before me, I mean what is she, yelling it to the whole town…"  
  
"Rory, I don-" began Luke.   
  
What is Rory talking about he thought questioningly. Whatever it is, I'm pretty sure Lorelai would have wanted me to know from her, and it seems to be making Rory pretty upset.  
  
"…I mean is she just running around the town yelling 'guess what Rory's teacher proposed to me, I'm so happy, but I don't think about the effects this could have on my daughters life!' "  
  
"WHAT?!" Luke exclaimed loudly. "Who proposed to your mom? How, when, where! Oh my gosh, I knew it all along, I'm too late. Rachel was right. Rory, what happened?"   
  
Rory gave the older man a quizzical look. Oh know thought look, I let the cat out of the bag, to her own daughter. But fortunately for Luke Rory was to worried about her mistake to realize Luke's.  
  
"Oh my gosh, you didn't know? Oh nevermind then. Nothing, nothing at all…"  
  
"Oh no, don't think your getting out of this that easy! C'mon Ror, I want answers."  
  
Rory was going to just get up and run out of the dinner, if not for the pleading look she saw in Luke's eyes. Wow, she thought. Luke really is an angel, he cares about me and mom so much. And it's not like mom wouldn't tell him anyway.  
  
"O.k Luke, I'll tell you. Under one condition, this is not, I repeat NOT town gossip, this is purely for your ears and your ears only. As a matter of fact we never had this conversation, correct?"  
  
"Um…what conversation?" Luke replied with a devilish glint in his eyes.  
  
"Good! Quick study. Well, my English teacher Max, proposed to mom." She said giving him the quick version.  
  
"Oh my God, damn!" Said Luke. "I mean, this looks like it's hard on you." Luke quickly added.  
  
"Yea well, It's just kinda like a wow-I-never-thought-this-would-happen kind of thing. I mean it's so sudden I had no idea that they were this close even." Rory's voice got all dreamy and far away.   
  
After a very long pause the bringer of coffee asked Rory, "Well, how did it happen?"   
  
"Well, I guess you might have been there for part of it." Said Rory, remembering her mom mentioned Luke was at the house right before the proposal.  
  
"I was?" questioned Luke.  
  
"Well, my mom said you were over and then you left and her and Max had a small argument and then he proposed and the my mom said no because there should be a thousand yellow daisies and a horse and then the next day at the Inn there was a thousand yellow daisies but no horse and Max asked her to marry him because he loved her."   
  
Rory said that whole thing without taking a single stop for air. And she looked at the shocked expression oh Luke's face.  
  
"A horse?" That was all he said.  
  
"My reaction too, I guess horses are romantic creatures…"  
  
"It's Lorelai, I should have guessed."   
  
"Yea, but look, I'm really sorry I better head home now…remember… this never happened."   
  
All Luke could do was nod his head; completely dumbstruck as the younger Gilmore exited his shop.   
  
"Oh God Luke, Rachel was right. I waited to long." A single tear slipped down Luke's face, and then he closed the shop for the evening.  
  



	3. Roses from an Admirer

Lorelai, true to her word, went home to wait anxiously for Rory. 2 hours and 12 cups of coffee later Rory still wasn't home. So Lorelai did the only thing she could think of to do, she decided the clock sucked at threw it against the wall. Haha, I showed it she thought to herself. The truth was Lorelai felt awful. When she saw the look on Rory's face when she announced the proposel, it was heart-stopping for any mother.   
  
"Gosh, she was so happy about something, too." Lorelai said feeling more and more guilty."   
  
More time passed and more coffee while Lorelai sat feeling sorry for herself.  
  
"Aghhh! What time is it, I'm going crazy! Stupid clock, it doesn't even work." She said bitterly looking at the broken pieces of a cat shaped clock around her.  
  
Finally Lorelai couldn't stand sitting at home waiting for Rory anymore. So she got her coat and left the house. Walking around town she didn't see Rory anywhere, she did see Miss Patty though.  
  
"Patty! You haven't seen Rory around anywhere have you? I've been looking all over for her." Lorelai's voice had a tinge of worry in it.  
  
Oh my god, she thought, what if Rory goes to my mothers house again. I'll die, no Rory's a good kid, she wouldn't do that to me again, I hope.  
  
"Oh, I haven't seen the little peach anywhere, I'm sorry Lorelai. What's wrong though?"  
  
"Max proposed," Lorelai said dully. No sense hiding it.  
  
"Oh my God Lor, that's great! I saw Max oh boy oh boy. You got yourself quite a tasty little number there don't you. I could just eat him up, but you're going to have to do that instead. Haha." Said Patty in her usual flamboyant voice.   
  
"Gosh, why couldn't Rory have reacted like this. Not the whole eating him up thing because mother-daughter dating isn't on the list. But I wish she was this happy about it." The older Gilmore said wistfully.  
  
"Don't you worry your head of, dear, when she realizes how happy this makes you, she'll understand." Then Patty's voice got all excited. "Oh, speak of the angel, there's little Rory now! Rory, Rory dear!! Your mothers been looking for you!"  
  
Lorelai quickly looked to where Miss Patty was pointing. Oh thank God she thought quietly to herself. She saw Rory walking over to her quickly. She looked a little better thought Lorelai happily, not quite as sad or worried about things. Maybe she made her decision. Oh God, I must be supportive of whatever it is. There are plenty of guys out there, one down won't make a difference. But a little voice in the back of her head said…oh but there's only one Max Medina.   
  
"Shut up!" There now the voice was squashed someplace where Lorelai didn't have to listen to it.  
  
"Um, o.k. mom, I hadn't started talking now, but thanks…" Said Rory looking confused.   
  
"Oh! No, not you hunny! The voice in my head, that was talking to me, I was talking back."   
  
"O.k… just don't say that to Taylor, or he'll think you're a shoplifter hyped up on drugs." Advised the daughter.  
  
"Well, who says that I'm not?"   
  
"o.k, well, that's interesting, anyways."  
  
Rory could see the tension reflecting off of Lorelai's face. As they walked home. She knew that her mother wanted a decision. And she'd been thinking about this hard. I have to forget what the people at Chilton said, they already hate me, thought Rory. It's hard, could I imagine Max as my dad, he's a nice guy and won't try to replace Christopher. Oh my gosh, how's Christopher going to take moms marriage. Whoa Gilmore! Did you just say mom's marriage? Mom's POSSIBLE marriage. It all came down to one thing, this would make her mom happy, and like she said before Lorelai is not a cat person, so when she leaves for collage her mom is truly alone. This is for the best.   
  
"Well, hunny, there we are. Home sweet home!" Said Lorelai with false cheer.   
  
When Rory walked into the house the first thing she noticed was her moms clock broken on floor.   
  
"From the looks of things it looks like this ca was murdered," commented Rory.  
  
"No, no, It's not at all what you think it is. The cat, it came alive and saw a bird and tried to throw itself at the bird, but it fell short, and died a tragic death." Said her mother, her voice getting sadder and sadder as she talked about the clock.  
  
"Oh mom, give it up. I know you've been waiting forever to hear my decision. So I'll give it to you." She began  
  
"Rory, wait. I want you to know that no matter what, you will always be the single most important thing in my life. I love you so much, and if you don't want this then he's gone, out the door. Quick as lightning. Quick as me after 14 cups of triple-caff coffee! Mmm….. triple caff-coffee…" Lorelai's mouth watered just thinking about the coffee. Too bad Luke's is closed she thought.  
  
"O.k., well, as supportive and sweet as that is. I love you mom, and YOU are the single most important thing in MY life. And I want you to be happy. And I like Max a lot more than anyone else you've dated, so if you think he's the one. Go for it."  
  
Rory couldn't help but smile as she saw her mom's face grow happier and happier as she spoke.   
  
"Oh God, how did I ever get such a wonderful kid like you, I love you baby." Breathed the older Gilmore.  
  
"So, what are you going to tell Max?"  
  
"To be honest, I don't know, I'm putting off deciding right now. First I have to ask my parents about it, the whole town has to know-"  
  
"And Christopher," interrupted Rory.  
  
Oh God, Christopher, thought Lorelai to herself. He just proposed himself. What am I going to do, part of me still loved Christopher, and he's going to hurt when I tell him this news. Oh no, I can't tell him over the phone. I have to tell him before my parents find out and spread it everywhere. Oh, Christopher.   
  
Rory could see the conflict on her mothers face. I can't believe she forgot that she'd have to tell dad, she thought.   
  
"Lets not talk about this right now. I'm gunna go get my P.J.'s on, and then you'll tell me your news, o.k.?"   
  
"Yea! You'll be so surprised!" Said Rory enthusiastically.   
  
"Great, I love surprises, make popcorn, and get ice cream out! A god story needs junk food!"  
  
"o.k. mom!"  
  
Lorelai faintly heard her daughter getting out the food while she went upstairs. Man, what a great kid she thought. But what am I gunna tell Max? She pushed open her door to a complete shock. There lying on her bed was a boquet of beautiful yellow roses. Roses? Hmm.. and there was a card next to it. It was typed and it read:  
  
"Yellow is the color of the sunrise and of happiness so true.  
And roses are the flower of love, which is what I fell when I'm with you."  
  
Short, sweet and sappy. Lorelai loved it. She checked her clock. 10:30, not too late. Slowly she picked up the phone and dialed Max's number. He picked up on the first ring.   
  
"Hello, you've reached Max Medina."  
  
"Hey there stranger." Said Lorelai happily  
  
"Lorelai, you haven't decided already have you?" Asked Max sounding surprised.   
  
"No, but the boquet of roses sure was a sweet push in your direction"   
  
"Roses? What roses?" Max voice sounded genuinely confused  
  
"Wait, you didn't put a boquet of yellow roses and a poem on my bed?" Suddenly Lorelai couldn't stand. "If you didn't then who did? I thought only you could get into my house."   
  
"I don't know, I'm jelous looks like you've gotten yourself another admirer." Max voice sounded a little bit worried, despite his efforts to sound nonchalaunt.   
  
"Awe shux a girl needs them. Well, I have to go now, Your positive you didn't send me these flowers?"  
  
"I wish I did, sorry. Sweet dreams Lorelai Gilmore."  
  
"You too."  
  
With that the older Gilmore hung up the phone. How on earth. Max had a key to this place, that's how he could get inside the house. So did Rory, and Lorelai knew that no one could break in. Luke fixed her door right before Rachel left. Poor Luke, thought Lorelai. She changed into her Pajama's, they had little pictures of flying pigs, and took one last look at the roses and the note. Maybe Rory would know who gave them to her. She carefully picked them up and smiled. Whoever wrote the card, knew exactly what she liked.   
  
  
  



End file.
